Jayapura – The Papuan Traditional Council (DAP) chief, Forkorus Yobiosembut, in Jayapura, Monday, stated that it was not Kelly Kwalik or his group that committed the series of terrorist acts in the area of PT Freeport Indonesia, Tembaga Pura, Mimika, Papua.

"I've communicated with Kelly, and he said he wasn't the one who did the terror acts," said Forkorus, Monday.

Forkorus explained that after the assault of the mysterious shooter in the area of Freeport Timika, a few months ago, which caused the death of an Australian, Drew Nicholas Grant, he directly asked Kelly Kwalik if he was involved.

"Through his courrier who met me, Kelly Kwalik stressed that he was not involved," he said.

Furthermore, said Forkorus, the courrier said that Kelly Kwalik had sent an official letter to the Government of Australia stating that he and the group he lead weren't responsible for the terrors in Freeport's area.

Subsequently, Forkorus asked all related parties not to accuse each other, but to cooperate to find the truth and apprehend whoever caused the terror in Freeport's area instead. "This is the duty of the security officers and all of us to arrest the mastermind of the terror," he said.

Forkorus' statement concurs with that from the Papua Police Chief, Irjen Bagus Ekodanto, who stated to the reporters that his force had managed to meet the head of the armed force in Timika, Kelly Kwalik.

In that meeting, Kelly Kwalik admitted that he and his group weren't involved in the terror in PT Freeport's area. However, this conflicts the statement from the Cendrawasih XVII Millitary Commander (Pangdam XVII) who presented his material during a debate held by the the Indonesian National Youth Committee (KNPI), in Papua Province, some time ago.

At that time the commander played a video of a fully armed man (said to be Kelly Kwalik) commanding his men to terrorize the Freeport area. That was why the Pangdam stated that Kelly Kwalik's group was responsible for the terror on Freeport's area. (ABI/C17-09)